Sun-Baked July ‘Champagne Charlie’ Regatta at Royal Southern Yacht Club

Running racing in light winds on the biggest tides of the year meant the weekend of 14–15 July was never going to be easy. With water temperature in the Solent now almost 21 degrees Celsius and unbroken sunshine predicted, the met office forecast was for a late start to the sea breeze on Saturday and even lighter winds on Sunday. The PRO, Philip Gage, issued an amendment to add an extra race on the Saturday, in case racing had to be abandoned on Sunday – as indeed turned out to be the case. The larger keel boats in Black group set off on schedule, with a light southeasterly blowing and the last of the east-going flood adding to the apparent wind. But after the first race was completed, the wind died away as the southwesterly sea breeze started to kick in – but slowly. As it got stronger, the race team managed to get in three more races, with the final race being the best conditions of the day. The J/111 fleet was won by Jelvis (Martin Dent). Full details of the results can be found here: https://yachtscoring.com/event_results_cumulative.cfm?eID=4691.